Ralph Anderson

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Ralph Anderson (ラルフ · アンダーソン, lit. rarufu andāson) was an American sergeant and world-class boxer who acted as the main antagonist in the Kamogawa arc. Like fellow American boxer Bryan Hawk, he largely underestimates Japanese fighters for the majority of Kamogawa Genji's flashback.

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Anderson served as a sergeant in the second world war and was, before his life in the military, ranked fifth in the world for welterweight boxers. He is first seen completely overwhelming Hama Dankichi in a match with one punch, which Nekota and Kamogawa were in attendance for. He then mocks the apparent weakness of Japanese people, angering Nekota and wounding his pride.

He meets Nekota and Kamogawa again during his chase for Yuki. The two prizefighters challenged Anderson to protect Yuki but were both beaten by Anderson's one-two and cross counter. Satisfied, Anderson lets Yuki go and leaves fellow soldier Miguel Zale behind. He later officially fought Nekota again in the ring, seemingly getting overwhelmed in the first round before Nekota's previous brain damage kicked in, during which Ralph fouled using his signature Rabbit Punch (a blow to the back of his opponent's head) to worsen Nekota's brain damage and end the match. Kamogawa, angered at Anderson's further provocation that Japan was weak, declared that his fists have yet to be matched against Anderson, and requested a match with the latter. Anderson then mentions that "Japanese people aren't good at giving up", but learns from his fight against Nekota, and trains his abdomen with utmost determination to defeat Kamogawa with genuine boxing skill.

With Miguel Zale (fellow soldier under Anderson's jurisdiction) advising him as a second, Anderson led in the preliminary rounds, knocking Kamogawa down several times and getting frustrated at the latter's unwillingness to be defeated. He later comes to respect his opponent's strength and spirit. Kamogawa takes Anderson to the eighth round, where an accidental slip on blood caused one of Anderson's punches to lose power. In light of this Kamogawa lands two punches (with Tekken) on both sides of Anderson's rib cage, shattering the latter's ribs and causing them to pierce his internal organs. Anderson is then taken away on a stretcher, suffering a painful loss.

What happened to Anderson later on was not elaborated on, and he has yet to (or never will) reappear in the series.

Anderson's height was the highlight of his first introduction. He is shown to be taller and physically larger than the then young Kamogawa Genji, Hama Dankichi and Nekota Ginpachi, using his height as an advantage when fighting against the prizefighters. Though his color scheme is never revealed in the manga, Anderson appears to have light colored eyes and short semi-light colored blonde hair.

Much like Bryan Hawk, Anderson was first seen underestimating, mocking and provoking the Japanese populace, forcing them to throw away their pride and declaring that no Japanese fighter would be able to defeat him. He was a crooked fighter who uses fouls among other malefic techniques that could end a fighter's career. Anderson, like Hawk, seemed to see women as "delicacies" to be "devoured" and throughly enjoys beating people into submission to get what he is after. Overconfident and full of himself, Anderson first believed that he was above the Japanese.

After his fight against Nekota Ginpachi however, Anderson regained the "pure blood of a boxer" and trained earnestly for his then upcoming fight against Kamogawa Genji. He mentally notes during his fight with the latter that strong Japanese men do exist, and decides not to foul using his signature technique Rabbit Punch, fully redeeming himself as an honest boxer.

A very capable boxer even with just the basics, Anderson is shown to have a very keen sense for boxing as well as a hefty advantage in physical stature and reach. He is shown to box in a very orthodox manner, but sometimes fouls using his signature Rabbit Punch, during which a strong blow is sent to the back of his opponent's head, causing severe brain damage.

Disregarding the weight class difference, under present-day boxing rules Anderson would have beaten Kamogawa simply by giving him so many downs, but thanks to the time period Kamogawa was able to keep getting up no matter how many times he went down. Kamogawa eventually beat Anderson by countering his Chopping Right with two Tekkens.